Sorry
by smokenfirefanfics
Summary: Rus has spent the last two years trying to find a way back home. Now that he's close to a breakthrough, he has to face a harsh reality. Return to his timeline to fix what the kid did. Or stay and live out the rest of his life with Grillby.


Rus laid back in the grass as he stared up at the night sky. Lidded sockets stared past the stars as his mind wandered deep into thought. He had to make some decisions. But would he be able to make the correct ones?

"I thought I would find you here…"

Rus flinched as the gravelly voice pulled him out of his own mind. The skeleton scowled to himself, but instead of acknowledging the approaching monster, he pulled out a cigarette and lighter. He stuck the butt between his teeth and flicked the flint a few times before finally catching a flame.

He felt his company sit down by his skull and listened to his deep sigh, "Papyrus…"

Rus took a long drag and exhaled the smoke through his nasal cavity, "... I don't want to talk about it right now, Grillbz."

"Then when will we talk about it?" Grillby responded.

"Dunno." Rus retorted.

Grillby adjusted himself so that he could lean over the skeleton and meet his eyes.

Rus immediately turned his skull away, "Could ya not?"

A jagged scowl formed in Grillby's flames, "You cannot push me off or avoid me so easily, Papyrus. Now, are we going to talk?"

Rus scowled as he inhaled than blew the smoke straight up into Grillby's face, "I told ya, I don't wanna talk 'bout it right now."

The glowing embers behind the monster's glasses twitched slightly, "Papyrus… You are acting like a child. Stop pouting and be an adu-"

"Pouting!?" Rus snapped, "I think I deserve some space! I don't have ta explain myself to ya! I don't owe you a conversation! Stop jumping down my throat and lecturin' me all the time!" Rus sat up and scooched away from the fire.

Grillby sat there for a moment before he released another heavy sigh, "Why must you be so difficult to talk to?" he said softly.

"You're one to talk…" Rus muttered.

The elemental let out a small chuckle at his retort, "But I am at least trying. However, you are doing that thing where you close yourself off. Now, why don't you let go of your pride for once and turn to face me. I'm not here to attack you, Papyrus. I would simply like to talk. I want to know where your mind is at. And I want to tell you my feelings on the matter."

Rus continued to keep his back to the other monster, "... I don't wanna know what your feelings are," he murmured.

Grillby raised a fiery brow, "Oh? That's rather rude to say."

Rus huffed in response, but said nothing else.

The two sat in silence for a long moment. Grillby decided to move closer to the skeleton before he leaned forward and slipped his arms around the skeleton's waist. He lifted Rus off the ground and tugged him down into his lap.

Rus yelped and attempted to try and struggle away, "H-Hey! Lemme go! Grillbz, I'm serious! Ya know I don't like bein' touched or held!" he cried, but the fire simply tightened his grip and held fast to his spine. Eventually, Rus wore himself out and gave up. He slunk back against Grillby's chest and sighed.

Grillby moved his chin to rest on Rus' shoulder and loosened his hold around him, "Comfy?"

Rus grumbled an unintelligible response as he sunk down in his turtleneck.

The fire nuzzled his flames against the side of his skull.

"Can ya not?" Rus whined as a small orange haze flushed across his face.

Grillby gave a small snort, "No. I cannot not." he told him with a playful purr.

Rus rolled his eyelights. The two sat there in another moment of silence. The skeleton tried to ignore the pleasantly warm flames that licked the side of his skull as Grillby rested his head against him.

"It's because you have already made up your mind, isn't it?" Grillby finally asked.

Rus didn't respond.

Grillby lifted his head to look at Rus, "Isn't it?"

The skeleton still wouldn't recognize the question. He simply locked his sockets on his sneakers.

Grillby exhaled heavily, "Papyrus… Please say something."

"I don't know, okay!?" Rus finally snapped, "I don't know what you want me to say."

"I just want to hear the truth." Grillby replied calmly.

Rus' ribcage heavied as he tried to keep even breaths, "Isn't it obvious? I can't stay here. I don't belong here, Grillbz. I have to go home. I have to return to my universe."

"And why's that?" Grillby asked, "You've been here for almost two years now."

"Because!" Rus exclaimed, "Because…" Rus balled his hands into fists as he tried to swallow his rising emotions, "I have to. I gotta go back and fix everything."

"Why does that need to be your job? You are not the one who destroyed it. You could stay-"

"What!? Stay with you?" Rus growled, "Stay here and act like everything is hunky dory? Pretend like my bro and everyone else I care about isn't dead!?"

Grillby curled his fingers into Pap's sweater as he held the skeleton close, "Well, you care about me, don't you?"

Rus trembled, "Don't…"

"You've had a good life here-"

"Grillbz, _don't…_"

"Or has our relationship just been a lie as well?"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME GRILLBZ!?" Rus cried as he pulled himself out of the fire's arms and turned to look at the other monster, "Ya knew this was goin' to happen! Ya knew from the day ya met me! I care about ya, okay? But I can't stay! I can't just let what happened, happen! I. HAVE. TO. GO. BACK!" Rus' voice broke as orange tears welled in his sockets. He panted softly and sat back. He wiped his face clean with the sleeve of his grey sweater, "... Ya happy now?"

Grillby sat there, watching Rus for a moment, "...No, I can't say that I am."

"Then why'd ya want to talk about it if ya knew the answer already?" Rus hissed.

"Because I was hoping that after these few years, you had changed your mind. I hoped that maybe you would choose me over your past."

Rus shook his skull, "You're dumb then…"

Grillby gave a weak chuckle, "I suppose so," There was a brief moment of tense silence, "What does this mean for us?"

Rus looked away, "Guess it's over…"

Grillby frowned, "I was afraid of that…"

Rus gave a small shrug, "Yeah, well. Ya got Sans? You've known him longer. Plus, I'm just a copycat of him, right?"

Grillby shook his head before he stood. Rus watched him as he approached and pulled the skeleton into a tight embrace, "... You are much more than that, Papyrus… So much more… And I will miss you greatly if you leave."

Rus gasped and his shoulders sank as his ribcage grew heavy from Grillby's words, "... I know. I'll miss you too." he murmured as he wrapped his arms around the fire and buried his face into his chest.


End file.
